I was kind of bored most of the movie. The reason is because it made the mistake almost every bad sequel makes. They just tried to recreate every scene from the first movie. Well we already saw all those scenes and it was done better in the first movie. And I did not like the mom. She was nothing like the first actress who was mischievous and independent for her time. This lady came across as batty and timid.
Also, it bothered me that it's based on the 70s and they say they only have $21.18 to buy gifts with. In today's world that sounds like they have nothing to spend. And the gifts bought with that $21.18 look like it was bought with today's $21.18. But in 1973, $21.18 is worth almost $150 today. They could have bought the kids some nice gifts. They are relying on the fact that people today don't know that $21.18 in 1973 was a decent amount of money.
The other thing that really bothered me was that his dad has just passed and no one in the family is grieving at all, not the way you would when it first happens. Randy doesn't even come home for the passing? If you missed the scene where Ralphie gets the phone call and that is why they are going home to Indiana then you might think, based on the rest of the movie, that his old man died 10 months ago and this is just the first Christmas without him. There were touching moments of missing him at Christmas but not the way it should be if the person just passed away.
Those first few days when your dad or any really close loved one passes away, you grieve a lot. The pain is raw and every move you make shows it. Your face and eyes show it. There should have been a scene where the mom breaks down and there should have been a funeral scene of some kind, even if brief. As someone who has lost their dad, and someone who has lost a very beloved aunt 5 days before Christmas, I can guarantee you that is not how you act the days after someone you love dies, especially that close to Christmas.
The movie would have been really great if they would have emphasized the grief they were feeling that led to the ending. The scenes with memories of his old man's voice from the first movie were good. They should have just left it there and not tried to also recreate everything from the first movie. They focused on that more than the fact the old man just passed away. So it left the movie without any heart.
They did get one thing right. The casseroles. That is definitely an Indiana thing! I found the casseroles very funny. Also the carolers scenes were funny because it was original and not tryin to recreate the first movie. Really all the things they did original were good. I just did not like all the scenes trying to recreate the scenes fro the first movie because it made them cheesy. I wouldn't say it was the worst sequel I have ever seen. Just think they should have taken more time to focus on his love for his old man and less on the first movie.
Also, it bothered me that it's based on the 70s and they say they only have $21.18 to buy gifts with. In today's world that sounds like they have nothing to spend. And the gifts bought with that $21.18 look like it was bought with today's $21.18. But in 1973, $21.18 is worth almost $150 today. They could have bought the kids some nice gifts. They are relying on the fact that people today don't know that $21.18 in 1973 was a decent amount of money.
The other thing that really bothered me was that his dad has just passed and no one in the family is grieving at all, not the way you would when it first happens. Randy doesn't even come home for the passing? If you missed the scene where Ralphie gets the phone call and that is why they are going home to Indiana then you might think, based on the rest of the movie, that his old man died 10 months ago and this is just the first Christmas without him. There were touching moments of missing him at Christmas but not the way it should be if the person just passed away.
Those first few days when your dad or any really close loved one passes away, you grieve a lot. The pain is raw and every move you make shows it. Your face and eyes show it. There should have been a scene where the mom breaks down and there should have been a funeral scene of some kind, even if brief. As someone who has lost their dad, and someone who has lost a very beloved aunt 5 days before Christmas, I can guarantee you that is not how you act the days after someone you love dies, especially that close to Christmas.
The movie would have been really great if they would have emphasized the grief they were feeling that led to the ending. The scenes with memories of his old man's voice from the first movie were good. They should have just left it there and not tried to also recreate everything from the first movie. They focused on that more than the fact the old man just passed away. So it left the movie without any heart.
They did get one thing right. The casseroles. That is definitely an Indiana thing! I found the casseroles very funny. Also the carolers scenes were funny because it was original and not tryin to recreate the first movie. Really all the things they did original were good. I just did not like all the scenes trying to recreate the scenes fro the first movie because it made them cheesy. I wouldn't say it was the worst sequel I have ever seen. Just think they should have taken more time to focus on his love for his old man and less on the first movie.